December 22, 2008.

We’ve been in Vero Beach for a few days now. We’re rafted up with our friends on Far Niente and Solitaire. The crews of both of these boats have recently invested in new Land Based homes here in town. As a result, while they’re getting used to their new digs, we’ve got the mooring essentially to ourselves. Since there are already 3 boats on the mooring, which is the maximum, it’s nice to not have to wonder who’s going to be rafting up to you while you’re riding the free bus around town.

Speaking of which, the bus system; an experience like no other. The people you might run into on the free bus runs the entire gambit of society, except for doctors, lawyers, judges and that sort of thing. There are drunkards, gangsta’s, ho’s, immigrants of every flavor, the mentally challenged, the mentally deranged, the infirmed, some Canadians and I’m sure there’s even a child molester or two. It’s kind of funny to watch cruisers exchange looks as some of the local entertainment board the bus.

The buses are exceptionally clean and really make getting around town a breeze. It’s also a good way to catch up with the other cruisers and it’s an especially nice way to find out who’s got what bargain going on where.

We’ve been trying to accomplish at least one task from our “To-Do” list every day. So far I’ve been able to clean the “ICW Mustache” from the hull and spent the better part of an afternoon waxing the topsides. Christy spent most of Sunday “de-molding” the boat. We had been trapped so far north as the cold weather set in, we started to grow some mold. It’s not that we’re especially disgusting, it happens to everyone like one of cruisings dirty little secrets.

Anytime you have cold enough temperatures outside that you need to run a heater, you’re going to start a mold culture in your boat. Now that we’re far enough south that we can open some ports and live without the heat running it was time to wash away Veranda’s Penicillin. It’s a tedious process that involves pretty much moving everything and wiping down every surface you can with a bleach solution or some commercially available product like Legionnaires Away.

So we’ll be here for a few weeks as we take care of some doctor crap, visit with friends and tackle the rest of the dreaded “To-Do” list. The weather is pleasant and should make for a good place to spend the holidays.

Boat Name of the Day. I think that this is a great boat name. El Magnifico. When this guy called and told the marina that he would be in shortly he said it with such aplomb that you couldn’t help but to laugh. He was into the part and sounded very much like Steve Martin in the movie The Three Amigos. He proudly announced “El Magnifico will be at your fuel dock shortly!” The woman on the other end giggled a little bit during her reply but said that they were eagerly awaiting El Magnifico’s arrival. His reply was “Good, then you will have someone there to catch El Magnifico’s lines, Eh?” 